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BNP suffers election meltdown
LINK: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...ction-meltdownExtreme rightwing party has so far lost seven of 11 council seats it was defending and has been wiped out in key target areas
Matthew Taylor
guardian.co.uk, Friday 6 May 2011 11.58 BST
Nick Griffin's British National party has been wiped out in its key target city, Stoke-on-Trent. Photograph: Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images
The British National party appears to be heading for meltdown at the polls after being wiped out in its key target city of Stoke-on-Trent and securing only one seat on councils to have declared so far.
The extreme rightwing party has been hit by internecine strife over the last year, with a string of senior figures defecting amid growing concern over the state of its finances.
It only managed to field around 250 candidates in Thursday's local elections – compared with approximately 700 in the equivalent polls in 2007 – and its only victory so far has come in Queensbury, West Yorkshire.
The BNP has so far lost seven of the 11 council seats it was defending, with three still to declare.
In Stoke-on-Trent, it lost all five of its sitting councillors. It also appeared to have failed in Wales, where it had predicted a breakthrough in the runup to the vote.
The BNP spokesman, Simon Darby, refused to comment on the results, saying "there was no point". Anti-racist campaigners said the results were disastrous for the party.
"[BNP leader] Nick Griffin is now in a really parlous position," said Nick Lowles from Hope not Hate, which has mobilised thousands of anti-racist campaigners in the past few weeks.
"The British National party as a political force now appears to be finished ... it has such huge debts that even the rebels who are openly opposed to Griffin have realised it is not worth taking over."
The BNP reached a high water mark in 2009 when Griffin and Andrew Brons were elected to the European parliament but, in the past 18 months, its support has imploded.
Dozens of prominent figures have either been suspended or have resigned, and in recent weeks it emerged that around 15 former members had defected and were planning to stand for the rival English Democrats.
Insiders say they predict further walkouts and defections in the coming days.
Fascist party viability depend on their ability to exploit and create a non-existent crisis in wich they appear to be the solution.
without this artificlal self created momentum they cannot survive.
Unless something really terrible happen like a terror attack, they will keep loosing this momentum they cannot artificially inflate anymore.
Good riddance.
WHY kléber, WHY!!!!!!!
Ah, Griffin will be back to doing Caberet at Butlins by next year
Got no UKIP or BNP fliers through my door this year, made a difference, although I was tempted to draw a dick on the ballot paper next to 'Scottish National Front'...
'Detente is peace, love, and more dank ass medals for me' - Brezhnev
I always imagined the Grifter would do a fantastic 'Widow Twankie' on the blackpool panto circuit.Ah, Griffin will be back to doing Caberet at Butlins by next year
Got no UKIP or BNP fliers through my door this year, made a difference, although I was tempted to draw a dick on the ballot paper next to 'Scottish National Front'...
He probably would use any excuse to get dolled up.
Good news! They lost all their seats in Burnley last time around, I think when they have actually had electoral success it has simply shown people how useless and backward they are.
BTW it really pisses me off when Fascists use the term Democracy (as in English Democrats) as though they actually represent the people in any way.
In the end, the ballot must decide, not bullets Jonas Savimbi
Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers Aristotle
They've shown themselves to be weak and corrupt and people have taken notice. What people need is a stronger party that does not bow to the politically correct like the BNP has.
The BNP and their bloody political correctness!
In the end, the ballot must decide, not bullets Jonas Savimbi
Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers Aristotle
Comparing UKIP to the BNP. You clearly have no idea the incredible difference between the two parties.Ah, Griffin will be back to doing Caberet at Butlins by next year
Got no UKIP or BNP fliers through my door this year, made a difference, although I was tempted to draw a dick on the ballot paper next to 'Scottish National Front'...
